diff --git a/data/campaigns/Eastern_Invasion/lua/bandits.lua b/data/campaigns/Eastern_Invasion/lua/bandits.lua
index c77c5b3761e2..7c4d2fd48d05 100644
--- a/data/campaigns/Eastern_Invasion/lua/bandits.lua
+++ b/data/campaigns/Eastern_Invasion/lua/bandits.lua
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ end
 
 local function bandits_found(x,y)
 	local bandit_types = vars.bandit_types
-	local bandit_villages = wml.variable.get_array("bandit_villages")
+	local bandit_villages = wml.array_access.get("bandit_villages")
 	local boss_found = vars.boss_found
 	local visited = vars.villages_visited
 	local rand1 = helper.rand("3,4")
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ local function bandits_found(x,y)
 end
 
 function wml_actions.bandit_village_capture(cfg)
-	local bandit_villages = wml.variable.get_proxy_array("bandit_villages")
+	local bandit_villages = wml.array_access.get_proxy("bandit_villages")
 	local x = cfg.x or helper.wml_error("[bandit_village_capture] missing required x= attribute.")
 	local y = cfg.y or helper.wml_error("[bandit_village_capture] missing required y= attribute.")
 
diff --git a/data/lua/core.lua b/data/lua/core.lua
index d1a3b1c2fb95..4e171ef3f4bc 100644
--- a/data/lua/core.lua
+++ b/data/lua/core.lua
@@ -213,11 +213,25 @@ end
 if wesnoth.kernel_type() == "Game Lua Kernel" then
 	--[========[Basic variable access]========]
 
-	wml.variable = {}
-	wml.variable.get = wesnoth.get_variable
-	wml.variable.set = wesnoth.set_variable
-	wml.variable.get_all = wesnoth.get_all_vars
+	-- Get all variables via wml.all_variables (read-only)
+	setmetatable(wml, {
+		__metatable = "WML module",
+		__index = function(self, key)
+			if key == 'all_variables' then
+				return wesnoth.get_all_variables()
+			end
+			return rawget(self, key)
+		end,
+		__newindex = function(self, key, value)
+			if key == 'all_variables' then
+				error("all_variables is read-only")
+				-- TODO Implement writing?
+			end
+			rawset(self, key, value)
+		end
+	})
 
+	-- Get and set variables via wml.variables[variable_path]
 	wml.variables = setmetatable({}, {
 		__metatable = "WML variables",
 		__index = function(_, key)
@@ -283,7 +297,7 @@ if wesnoth.kernel_type() == "Game Lua Kernel" then
 		end
 	}
 
-	wml.variable.proxy = setmetatable({}, root_variable_mt)
+	wml.variables_proxy = setmetatable({}, root_variable_mt)
 
 	--[========[Variable Array Access]========]
 
@@ -314,9 +328,11 @@ if wesnoth.kernel_type() == "Game Lua Kernel" then
 		error(string.format("Invalid context for %s: expected nil, side, or unit", err_hint), 3)
 	end
 
+	wml.array_access = {}
+
 	--! Fetches all the WML container variables with name @a var.
 	--! @returns a table containing all the variables (starting at index 1).
-	function wml.variable.get_array(var, context)
+	function wml.array_access.get(var, context)
 		context = resolve_variable_context(context, "get_variable_array")
 		local result = {}
 		for i = 1, context.get(var .. ".length") do
@@ -326,7 +342,7 @@ if wesnoth.kernel_type() == "Game Lua Kernel" then
 	end
 
 	--! Puts all the elements of table @a t inside a WML container with name @a var.
-	function wml.variable.set_array(var, t, context)
+	function wml.array_access.set(var, t, context)
 		context = resolve_variable_context(context, "set_variable_array")
 		context.set(var)
 		for i, v in ipairs(t) do
@@ -335,25 +351,36 @@ if wesnoth.kernel_type() == "Game Lua Kernel" then
 	end
 
 	--! Creates proxies for all the WML container variables with name @a var.
-	--! This is similar to wml.variable.get_array, except that the elements
+	--! This is similar to wml.array_access.get, except that the elements
 	--! can be used for writing too.
 	--! @returns a table containing all the variable proxies (starting at index 1).
-	function wml.variable.get_proxy_array(var)
+	function wml.array_access.get_proxy(var)
 		local result = {}
 		for i = 1, wesnoth.get_variable(var .. ".length") do
 			result[i] = get_variable_proxy(string.format("%s[%d]", var, i - 1))
 		end
 		return result
 	end
+	
+	-- More convenient when accessing global variables
+	wml.array_variables = setmetatable({}, {
+		__metatable = "WML variables",
+		__index = function(_, key)
+			return wml.array_access.get(key)
+		end,
+		__newindex = function(_, key, value)
+			wml.array_access.set(key, value)
+		end
+	})
 end
 
 -- Some C++ functions are deprecated; apply the messages here.
 -- Note: It must happen AFTER the C++ functions are reassigned above to their new location.
 -- These deprecated functions will probably never be removed.
 if wesnoth.kernel_type() == "Game Lua Kernel" then
-	wesnoth.get_variable = wesnoth.deprecate_api('wesnoth.get_variable', 'wml.variable.get', 1, nil, wesnoth.get_variable)
-	wesnoth.set_variable = wesnoth.deprecate_api('wesnoth.set_variable', 'wml.variable.set', 1, nil, wesnoth.set_variable)
-	wesnoth.get_all_vars = wesnoth.deprecate_api('wesnoth.get_all_vars', 'wml.variable.get_all', 1, nil, wesnoth.get_all_vars)
+	wesnoth.get_variable = wesnoth.deprecate_api('wesnoth.get_variable', 'wml.variables', 1, nil, wesnoth.get_variable)
+	wesnoth.set_variable = wesnoth.deprecate_api('wesnoth.set_variable', 'wml.variables', 1, nil, wesnoth.set_variable)
+	wesnoth.get_all_vars = wesnoth.deprecate_api('wesnoth.get_all_vars', 'wml.all_variables', 1, nil, wesnoth.get_all_vars)
 end
 wesnoth.tovconfig = wesnoth.deprecate_api('wesnoth.tovconfig', 'wml.tovconfig', 1, nil, wesnoth.tovconfig)
 wesnoth.debug = wesnoth.deprecate_api('wesnoth.debug', 'wml.tostring', 1, nil, wesnoth.debug)
diff --git a/data/lua/helper.lua b/data/lua/helper.lua
index 4b0e32e6cca8..517203e2444a 100644
--- a/data/lua/helper.lua
+++ b/data/lua/helper.lua
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ function helper.move_unit_fake(filter, to_x, to_y)
 	wesnoth.set_variable("LUA_move_unit")
 end
 
--- Metatable that redirects access to wml.variable.proxy
+-- Metatable that redirects access to wml.variables_proxy
 local proxy_var_mt = {
 	__metatable = "WML variables",
-	__index    = function(t, k) return wml.variable.proxy[k] end,
-	__newindex = function(t, k, v) wml.variable.proxy[k] = v end,
+	__index    = function(t, k) return wml.variables_proxy[k] end,
+	__newindex = function(t, k, v) wml.variables_proxy[k] = v end,
 }
 
 function helper.set_wml_var_metatable(t)
@@ -323,9 +323,9 @@ helper.child_count = wml.child_count
 helper.child_range = wml.child_range
 helper.child_array = wml.child_array
 if wesnoth.kernel_type() == "Game Lua Kernel" then
-	helper.get_variable_array = wml.variable.get_array
-	helper.set_variable_array = wml.variable.set_array
-	helper.get_variable_proxy_array = wml.variable.get_proxy_array
+	helper.get_variable_array = wml.array_access.get
+	helper.set_variable_array = wml.array_access.set
+	helper.get_variable_proxy_array = wml.array_access.get_proxy
 end
 helper.literal = wml.literal
 helper.parsed = wml.parsed
diff --git a/data/lua/wml-flow.lua b/data/lua/wml-flow.lua
index 5b86ca58a9a6..6c5ff49b9128 100644
--- a/data/lua/wml-flow.lua
+++ b/data/lua/wml-flow.lua
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ function wml_actions.foreach(cfg)
 	end
 
 	local array_name = cfg.array or helper.wml_error "[foreach] missing required array= attribute"
-	local array = wml.variable.get_array(array_name)
+	local array = wml.array_access.get(array_name)
 	if #array == 0 then return end -- empty and scalars unwanted
 	local item_name = cfg.variable or "this_item"
 	local this_item = utils.start_var_scope(item_name) -- if this_item is already set
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ function wml_actions.foreach(cfg)
 		Note that altering the array via indexing (with the index_var)
 		is not supported; any such changes will be reverted by this line.
 	]]
-	wml.variable.set_array(array_name, array)
+	wml.array_access.set(array_name, array)
 end
 
 function wml_actions.switch(cfg)
diff --git a/data/lua/wml-utils.lua b/data/lua/wml-utils.lua
index 520f3be29fe1..c329a1dd6260 100644
--- a/data/lua/wml-utils.lua
+++ b/data/lua/wml-utils.lua
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ end
 
 --note: when using these, make sure that nothing can throw over the call to end_var_scope
 function utils.start_var_scope(name)
-	local var = wml.variable.get_array(name) --containers and arrays
+	local var = wml.array_access.get(name) --containers and arrays
 	if #var == 0 then var = wesnoth.get_variable(name) end --scalars (and nil/empty)
 	wesnoth.set_variable(name)
 	return var
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ end
 function utils.end_var_scope(name, var)
 	wesnoth.set_variable(name)
 	if type(var) == "table" then
-		wml.variable.set_array(name, var)
+		wml.array_access.set(name, var)
 	else
 		wesnoth.set_variable(name, var)
 	end
diff --git a/data/lua/wml/set_variable.lua b/data/lua/wml/set_variable.lua
index 203439a09311..ac62c49b5ba9 100644
--- a/data/lua/wml/set_variable.lua
+++ b/data/lua/wml/set_variable.lua
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ function wesnoth.wml_actions.set_variable(cfg)
 
 		local string_to_join = ''
 
-		for i, element in ipairs(wml.variable.get_array(array_name)) do
+		for i, element in ipairs(wml.array_access.get(array_name)) do
 			if element[key_name] ~= nil or (not remove_empty) then
 				if #string_to_join > 0 then
 					string_to_join = string_to_join .. separator